CONGU Manual

The CONGU manual helps keep the game fair for golfers of all abilities by stating rights and responsibilities, definitions, handicapping adjustments and more.

Limited changes have been made to the CONGU handicapping system for 2019. Most reflect the new Rules of Golf for 2019, but a small number of changes are for clarification purposes.

The changes, which came into effect on 1 January 2019, are:

Abandoned competitions where no scores have been submitted – a new Decision 1(q) makes clear that no CSS should be calculated and no handicap adjustments can be made on the basis of any incomplete scores.

Players who do not start the second or subsequent round of a multi-round competition – a new Decision 4(b) makes clear that these players must not be entered into the next round and should not feature in the CSS calculation. There should be no handicap adjustment for these players as a result of the unplayed round.

Continuous handicap review – the advice document has been incorporated within the manual as Appendix Q.

Mixed tee scratch competitions – Appendix O has been amended to illustrate the treatment of these competitions. Effectively, the mixed tee adjustment strokes continue to be allocated in a scratch competition in order to maintain equality.

2019 Rules of Golf changes – References to ‘Conditions of Competition’ have been changed to ‘Terms of Competition’ throughout the manual. References to specific rule numbers and previous documents have been replaced with the new equivalents.

Specific changes include:

Maximum score per hole format – this new competition format, where the score per hole is capped at a specific number over par, is documented in Clause 17.

Practice on the Course – manual amended to take account of Rule 5, allowing practice on the course after the last competition round of the day has completed. A supplementary score can be submitted under such circumstances – Clause 21.

Disqualified Scores – References to rule numbers changed to reflect the new rules. Also the erroneous use of Alternative to Stroke and Distance local rule used in a Qualifying Competition has been added. (Appendix P)

Clean and Replace Ball in the General Area – Decision amended to allow a qualifying competition to be played with a local rule allowing clean and replace ball in the general area – Decision 1(c).